More

More from Complex Networks

Complex International

COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive.

Pilots Spot 'Very Bright' UFOs in Irish Airspace

Pilots flying in Irish airspace were surprised when they came across "very bright" UFOs.

On Nov. 9, three different pilots contacted air traffic control in Shannon, Ireland to report on what they had each witnessed. During the conversations, which can be found on Airlive, one pilot described the object as "a very bright light that disappeared at high speed." Though she was not in the direct path of the flying object, the object was enough to capture her attention.

Two other pilots had similar encounters and reported them to ATC officials. The planes were flying anywhere from 28,500 ft to 42,000 ft in the air. The ATC official informed the pilots that there were no scheduled military exercises in the area (which could have explained the sighting of the object).

Due to the multiple sightings, the Irish Aviation Authority has since released a statement and opened an official investigation. "This report will be investigated under the normal confidential occurrence investigation procedures," the statement reads. In addition, a spokesperson for the IAA shut down any speculation of an alien invasion, stating the chances of such an event were unlikely.

This left many to wonder about what actually was witnessed by the pilots. Astronomer Apostolos Christou informed the BBC that the object may have been a piece of space dust that entered the atmosphere at high speed. Christou, who is based in the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium in Northern Ireland, said the object "was most likely what are commonly called shooting stars."